George Santos – latest: GOP Rep Nick LaLota sides with Mitt Romney and brands Santos a ‘sociopath’

Follow for updates on the latest lies and scandals swirling round the Republican congressman

George Santos: The imposter in Congress | On The Ground

Scandal-plagued congressman George Santos is facing further criticism from members of his own party, with fellow New York Republican Nick LaLota branding him a “sociopath”.

On Wednesday, Mr LaLota weighed in on the spat between Mr Santos and Senator Mitt Romney after the two men had a heated exchange at Tuesday night’s State of the Union.

Mr Romney told Mr Santos “you don’t belong here” and criticised him for “trying to shake hands” with the president given “he’s under an ethics investigation”.

Mr Santos fired back saying the senator’s snub was “not very Mormon of him”.

Mr LaLota sided with Mr Romney and agreed Mr Santos “does not deserve to be in Congress.”

“He’s a sociopath, George Santos. He looks for that attention. Even the negative attention drives him. It’s become an embarrassment and a distraction to the Republicans in the House,” he told CNN.

At the SOTU, Mr Santos also sparked fury from the 9/11 community for taking a volunteer firefighter as his guest – after he was accused of lying about his mother dying in the attacks.

John Feal, 9/11 activist, told The Independent Mr Santos is “using the 9/11 community for his redemption tour”.

Key points

• New York Republican Nick LaLota brands Santos ‘a sociopath'
• George Santos fires back at Mitt Romney: ‘It wasn't very Mormon of him’
• Mitt Romney tells Santos ‘you don’t belong here’ at State of the Union
• George Santos takes 9/11 responder to SOTU – after lie that mother died in attacks
• 9/11 responder John Feal blasts Santos for ‘using 9/11 community as his redemption tour’
• New York constituents travel to DC to demand resignation

[9 February 2023 17:30 · John Bowden]

Romney discusses George Santos with reporters

Speaking to reporters as members of Congress and guests of Joe Biden’s State of the Union left the US Capitol on Tuesday night, Republican Senator Mitt Romney said he told George Santos that he did not belong there with them.

“He says he embellished his record. Embellishing is saying you got an A when you got an A minus. Lying is saying you graduated from a college you didn’t even attend,” he said.

Mr Romney said that the congressman “shouldn’t be in Congress” and will “hopefully” be removed, as House Ethics Committee members and federal agencies begin their investigations into his record and campaign finances.

“If he had any shame at all, he wouldn’t be there,” Mr Romney added.

[9 February 2023 18:00 · John Bowden]

George Santos’ office vandalised with graffiti

New York Congressman George Santos woke up to another piece of bad news last week.

Police said on Friday that his local district office in New York’s 3rd Congressional District, which includes parts of Long Island and Queens, was vandalised with graffiti which used expletives in multiple languages to describe the scandal-ridden Republican.

The congressman confirmed the graffitiying in a statement to CNBC.

Read more in The Independent:

[9 February 2023 18:30 · John Bowden]

ICYMI: Tucker Carlson defends George Santos in sarcastic attack on the press

Fox News personality Tucker Carlson spent four minutes on his prime-time programme assailing news outlets in a sarcastic commentary aimed at what he believes are overblown concerns about prolific fabulist George Santos.

One of the most-watched cable hosts in the US suggested that journalists have elevated the congressman – who was elected to represent a district of nearly 800,000 people – from relative obscurity to become “the single most dangerous and historically significant figure on the global stage”.

[9 February 2023 19:00 · John Bowden]

9/11 activist blasts George Santos for taking survivor to State of the Union after tragedy ‘lies’: ‘Piece of s***’

9/11 first responder and activist John Feal has blasted George Santos for inviting a volunteer firefighter to the State of the Union following his alleged lies about the tragedy – as he claimed the congressman has made further false claims to survivors of the terror attacks.

Speaking to The Independent on Tuesday morning, Mr Feal said that the disgraced Republican congressman is “using the 9/11 community for his redemption tour” and is “disrespecting” all the lives that were lost and continue to be lost because of that day.

“Every time George Santos says 9/11 it disrespects those we lost and those we continue to lose,” he said.

“9/11 is a wound that doesn’t go away… And he’s making it hurt.

“He’s a piece of s*** and I can never forgive him. He’s a vile, repugnant, disgusting human being.”